Majority of Echo readers want more money to be spent on flood defences

Around this time of year, Tyne and Wear receives regular flood warnings from GOV.UK – this is usually due to heavy rain fall which can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to homes and businesses.

We asked in our recent online poll: “Does more money need to be spent on flood defences?”

More than 1,000 Echo readers took part and 82% agreed that more money should be spent on flood defences while, 18% disagreed.

Luke Browell said: “The most effective flood defence is tackling the cause of flooding; the climate emergency.”

John Wild said: “We need to dredge our rivers and clear the roadside ditches and gullies too.“We didn’t see flooding on this scale and this often when the water had somewhere to go”

Stephen Marshall said: “Dredge the rivers.”

Peter Cresswell said: “Stop building on flood plains - they are there for a reason!“Building flood defences to protect flood plains from flooding is madness!“It just shifts the inevitable flood further downstream.“I'd have thought this was obvious!”

Gary Thompson said: “How many people who have experienced flooding live on a flood plain or a low lying river.

“It’s obvious your house's are going to flood at some point.”

Rob Mackins said: “Wouldn’t the money be better spent in stopping global warming and how this is impacting on our extreme weather?”